Looking Back - A Lookism fanfic

Lunchtime Drama Part 8

Zoe was feeling pumped the morning after her first night at the gym.

"Hyaaah! I haven't had a full night's rest in weeks! This was a great idea." Zoe celebrated her uninterrupted rest, almost dancing through her morning routine, and skipping out of the house.

Zoe did regret not meeting up with her Danny last night at the convenience store, but she had texted him with her plans, and he had been very supportive. Besides, it wasn't like she had to see him every evening, though it would be nice.

They'd actually had a pretty lively text chat up till it was time for bed. Zoe didn't know how Piggy was able to keep the hours that he did, it seemed like he had no time to sleep at all.

He had always been pretty reticent about his personal life to be honest. She knew it was probably from a sense of shame of what happened to him at his old school. The most he had opened up about his past had been due to looking out for her safety around Logan.

After she had seen the letter he had left her at the hospital, she had realized from all the clues that he was home schooling himself to get a GED and not in school like she had thought.

It was a shame because he was actually really smart. The couple times she tutored him in math, he had picked everything up scarily fast, and had actually caught up with her within a pretty short time. He even helped HER in some of her other subjects.

One thing he had proved to her though is that he was thinking about the future already. He already had a job and was studying and working out by the end there. She really admired him. In comparison, she had been so focused in herself that she had missed so many cues the first time around.

This time around she would focus on making something more out of herself as well. Maybe she could help him out, even help him get a better paying job that would let him go to school too?

'Oh just imagine if Danny-poo went to school with me?' 

Zoe's face burned from the blush t hat sprang up as she imagined sharing classes and walking to school and back with both Daniels. Her best friend and her crush.

'That would be amazing!'

As she came into the school gates she heard a scuffle, where the vocal and dance department kids were all congregated at. She couldn't quite tell what was going on, but it seemed like it was wrapping up anyway, with most of the participants walking into the school building, leaving a short round boy with his head down.

"Hey! Hey Duke right?" Zoe called out, walking towards him after recognizing her future lunch mate and friend. 

"Hi there... miss...?" Duke looked surprised and a bit suspicious of her, but he was polite enough to reply.

"Oh, sorry! My name's Zoe, Zoe Park. I'm a first year in the Fashion department." Zoe chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.

"Sorry for butting in, but it looked like they were giving you a hard time. You ok?" Zoe asked as she absently looked in her bag for a pack of tissues she kept handy.

"Here. You've got some dirt over your face." She gave Duke the pack of wipes. 

"oh..Oh! um...thanks!" Duke looked confused, which almost broke her heart. People shouldn't look like that when receiving basic kindness.

She recalled that he had a tough time at school until Daniel pulled him under his wing, and they did their show at the student festival next month.

"Hey, let's get you cleaned up, those tissues may not be enough. Just try to get the dust off by patting dry, if you wet it, it'll cake into your jacket."